Aphids on apple tree leaves

[JohnParticipant]

Hi Charles

I have a couple of two year old espalier apple trees and the leaves on the second tier of the Egremont Russet are badly curled and have been affected by aphids. The Sunset apple is ok. I also have some young bush apples and one older one on my second plot and a few of these, but not all, have a similar problem. It is impractical to pick off the aphids as they are within incurved leaves. Have you any suggestions? Apologies for the horror pic!

[ElizaDParticipant]

Hi John

Some of my apple tree leaves suffer this same problem but in a little while now I’ll be finding lots of ladybird larvae amongst the aphids so I don’t pick them off – just wait for the predators to get growing! Of course my apple tree is quite large so I can afford to let things be. You have less leaves on your espaliers so this may concern you more. I find in my garden that the ants encourage the aphids. Do you have ants running up and down your espaliers? They run up and down my apple tree, blackcurrant bush, raspberries and blueberries. I try to keep a saucer of water round anything in pots but I can’t do much about the trees and bushes planted in the ground. Sometimes glue bands can help.

Regards
Eliza

[charlesModerator]

brilliant answer Eliza, you should write articles

[JohnParticipant]

Hi Eliza and Charles

Thank you – I’ll leave a welcoming mat for the ladybirds and hope for the best. It seems that there is not much else I can do.

The trees were all trouble free last year so I wonder why the infestation is so bad this year. Any thoughts?

[charlesModerator]

John I suspect there have been extra aphids this spring because of the dry, fine weather, which suits them and has reduced new leaf growth on fruit trees.
Whereas now, in summer rain, the trees here suddenly look full of leaf and life, I hope yours do too. Aphids are now on the back foot.

[JohnParticipant]

Thanks for the positive message. Looking ahead, I wonder if, at the first sign of aphids, spraying the apples with a weak solution of soapy water (I use Ecover washing up liquid) would be a useful job for my Spring ‘to do’ list? I have used this successfully on blackfly on broad beans.

I remember my grandfather emptying the washing up water over his rose bushes at home – the aphids didn’t have a chance! Another family story is that he used to wheel a container full of ‘household liquid activator’ down to his allotment compost heaps each morning and I am certain that this is not all myth. I think the phrase was coined by Henry Doubleday; grandad was not into niceties – it was his pee-pot!

[charlesModerator]

All good ideas John though I find it also works to leave at least enough aphids for the predators to get stuck in, so don’t overdo the soap!

[PaulMParticipant]

Hi john. I was wondering what amount of ecover you use per litre. I’m using this on my broad beans, but I am not sure I have it strong enough or how often to spray them. Regards Paul.

[JohnParticipant]

Hi Paul

I use just a few drops in a 1 litre sprayer, enough to make it bubbly. I spray them each day for a few days and then less frequently as they die off. I guess they only need one spray but it is difficult to get them all. Perhaps the water pressure, even without the soap, has some effect.

This year I have had very few on the broad beans, due to November sowing and removal of the tops – as Charles says in his recent ‘pest’ video. I did have some on my globe artichoke stems but, as they were exposed and easy to spray, one spray did for them.

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